This invention relates to a method and assembly for simultaneously measuring a plurality of characteristics of biologically related materials over a short period.
Biological materials, particularly biological high molecules such as protein, enzyme and others have complicated structures and reactivities. Various methods have been proposed for measuring their structure and reactivities both qualitatively and quantitatively.
To cite examples of spectrophotometering spectrum that are used for such measurements, there are absorption spectrum relating to primary structures of the materials as well as fluorescence spectrum, circular polarization dichroism spectrum and Raman spectrum relating to secondary structures. It is also known to obtain many types of information concerning the nature (structures and reactivities) of materials by varying the measuring conditions of temperature, solution concentration, pH value and others.
It cannot be said that general information relating to the structure and reactivity of a material can be secured by merely collecting results of individual analytical measurements obtained, because it is virtually impossible to gather a number of physically identified samples from a sample under the same conditions.
In addition, there are many cases where measuring samples from biological high molecules or biologically synthesized high molecules comprise multicomponent systems having both complicated chemical reactions and living activities. Such samples easily vary rapidly with given conditions and time. It is, therefore, essential for measurements concerning biological materials to be taken simultaneously and, at least during a short period.
This invention relates to a method and assembly for taking multi-dimensional and simultaneous measurements concerning biological materials to meet said requirement.
The simultaneous taking of various measurements for samples according to this invention advantageously contributes to shortening of measuring periods, but it is of more essential significance that serious correlations can be found from the data of various categories, so that progress to medical diagnosis (particularly clinical examination) and examination of other living bodies can be expected.
A purpose of this invention is to provide a method and assembly for simultaneously taking photometering and multi-dimensional measurements concerning biological materials. The invention is characterized in that selected wavelength lights are radiated onto samples as periodically alternating circular polarizations. Some transmissions through said samples are recognized to measure the circular dichroism and absorbency of said samples over a period of time and to also detect the strength of fluorescences which the samples are excited by said radiation to generate. This allows the invention to indicate and record the circular dichroism, absorbency and strength in correlative manners.